Major vs Degree
When considering higher education after high school, many people are often confused by the terms “major” and “degree.” While most are familiar with the term degree, it is a general term at the undergraduate level that only indicates the field of study, such as arts, science, commerce, or engineering. In contrast, the term “major” specifies the subject in which the student is gaining the deepest knowledge.
Degree
Upon completing high school, students enroll in a college or university to pursue higher education and obtain a degree at the undergraduate level, which can open doors to success in various industries. Students with a college degree are generally considered more knowledgeable and industry-ready than those who stopped after high school.
A degree indicates that a student is pursuing higher education in a college or university. At the undergraduate level, this is referred to as a Bachelor’s degree, while a Master’s degree represents a higher level of specialization in a specific subject. The highest level of competence in a field of study is the doctoral degree or PhD.
Major
When someone asks what subject you are majoring in, they are not inquiring about the undergraduate degree you are completing. Instead, they are asking for details about the subjects covered in that degree. For example, simply stating that you are pursuing a BA from a college does not provide information about the subjects being taught or the main subject at the center of the degree course.
If you are pursuing a BSc, the subject you are majoring in is not revealed unless you specify that Biology is the primary focus of your studies. Thus, the major is the main subject within a cluster of subjects taught in an undergraduate bachelor’s degree course.
Key Takeaways
- A degree is a general term indicating the field of study a student is pursuing at the undergraduate level, while a major specifies the subject in which the student is gaining the deepest knowledge.
- Undergraduate degrees include Bachelor’s degrees, while higher levels of specialization are represented by Master’s degrees and doctoral degrees or PhDs.
- A major is the primary subject within a cluster of subjects taught in a bachelor’s degree course, providing more specific information about a student’s specialization.
